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`MBCHMIIML MUSICAL INSTRUMENT No. 258,667.

Patented May 30, 1882.

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(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 2. O. H. NEEDHAM.

MEGHANIGAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. No. 258,667. Patented May 30, 1882.

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O. H. NEEDHAM.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

No. 258,667. Patented May 30, 1882.

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MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

No. 258,667. Patented May 8C, 1882.

#UHHHH HHHHIIIIIIIIIHHHIIIIHHH lllll ll Ihr/@hr UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORWELL H. NEEDHAM, OF NE YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO JOHN NIOEOL, OF SAME PLACE, JAMES MORGAN, OF BROOKLYN, N. Y., AND JANE MATTHEYVS, OF BOSTON, MASS.

IVIECHANlCAL. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 258,667, dated .May 30, 1882.

Application tiled January 12, 1581. (No modal.)

T0 all whom it may concern.:

Beit known that l, ORWELL 1I. NEEDHAM, of the city and county of New York, in the State ot' New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the following' is a specification.

My invention relates principally to musical instruments which are adapted to be played manually by a key-beard or mechanically by a traveling music sheet, card, or tablet provided either with projections or perforations.

My invention consists in the combination, in a musical instrument, of sound-producing devices, a rest provided with ducts for the passage ot` air to operate said sound-producing devices and with ports extending from said ducts to the side ofthe rest, a traveling music-sheet for controlling the passage of air through said ducts, and a cheek-piece adjustably secured to the side of said rest, and constructed with ports ranging with the ports in said rest, whereby the 'sound-producing devices of one octave may be coupled with sound-producing devices of corresponding notes in another octave.

lt also consists in the combination, in a mechanical musical instrument, ot' sound-producing devices, a rest provided with ducts t'or the passage ot' lair to operate said sound-producing devices and with ports leading from said ducts alternately to opposite sides ofthe rest, a traveling music-sheet controlling the passage of air through said ducts, and cheek-pieces adjustably secured to opposite sides ot' said rest, and constructed with ports ranging with the ports in said rest, one ot' said cheek-pieces serving to couple alternate sound-producing devices and the other the intermediate soundproducing devices in one octave with devices of corresponding notes in another octave.

1t also consists in the combination, in a wind musical instrument, of sound-producing devices, an exhaust chest or chamber with which said sound-producing devices communicate, a hollow sounding-board communicatingl with said exhaust chest or chamber, and means for exhausting air from said chest or chamber and also from said sound-board, whereby a tension is applied to said sound-board.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a transverse vertical section through an instrument embodying my invention. Fie. 2 represents a horizontal section et' a portion ot' the instrument upon the dotted line 00.12, Fig. l, a portion of the case and covers being removed to expose the parts beneath it. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section ofthe upper portion ot the instrument upon the irregular dotted line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a plan view upon a larger scale ot' the reed-chest, coutaining the reed-action and appurtenances, a portion being broken away to econoinize space. Fig. 5 represents an end view ot' said reedchest, and showing also a hollow soundinghoard below the same. Fig. 6 represents a transverse section of the reed-chest and soundboard upon the dotted line e c, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 represents a perspective view of a portion ot' the hollow sounding-board upon a still larger scale. Fig. 8 represents a transverse section of the rest tor the traveling music card or tablet and cheek-pieces forming octave couplers upon opposite sides-thereof. Fig. 9 represents a plan, partly in section, ot' a portion of said rest and said cheek-pieces. Figs. l0 and 1l represent face views of the two cheek-pieces, showing the arrangement of ports for coupling sound-producing devices of corresponding notes in dit'ierent octavos, and Fig. l2 represents a detail view ot" a portion of the pipeaction.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the Iigures.

A designates the case of the instrument, which may be of any desirable form, and is provided with suitable hinged covers at the front, which may he opened to ai'ord access to the various parts ofthe instrument.

B designates the keys cfa manual key-board, which are fulcruined at a, and maybe operated in the same way as any manual keys to play the instrument. The keys B constitute levers through which power is transmitted to thc devices controlling the operation of the several sets ol' sound-producing devices, and form partot` the means whereby the instrument is operated mechanically'. In this example of my invention the keys B, and through them the several sets of sound-producing devices, are operated by meansofpneuinatic motors, which I will now describe.

C designates a box or chamber, ofvsuitable size and construction, arranged above the keys D, and containing a series of pneumatic Inotors, C', arranged in t-wo rows, one row above another, and for the purpose of making the motors as large as possible I preferably arrange the motors in the two rows alternately, those in the upper row being over the spaces between the motors in the lower row. The pneumatic motors are composed in the usual way of two boards or pieces ot' similar size and shape, and one of which is fixed and a flexibleL wall connecting them. The box or chamber C containing the pneumatic motors communicates by means of a duct or passage, l), with a receiver, C2, upon opposite sides of which are bellows C3, which are connected b v a rod, Ut, and are operated by a treadle, C5, through a rod, C. rIhus is a constant vacuum maintained in the box or chamber C containing the pneumatic motors C. The iop ot the box or chamber U is constructed to form a rest, C7, for a traveling` music card or tablet, here shown as consisting of a pert'orated sheet, D. In the said rest are ducts c, which lead directly to the pneumatic motorsintheupper row,and through branch ducts c (shown in dotted outline in Fig. l) communicate with the pneumatic motors ot' the lower row. When a perforation in the music-sheet opens one of the ducts c one ofthe motors will expand, and through its trackerpin c2 and a lever, c3, hinged at one end and bearing upon the key at the other end, will depress one ofthe keys.

Iurning now to a description of the mechanism whereby the music-sheet D is controlled, Dl designates a take-up roller, upon which the music-sheet will be wound in the act of playing, and D2 designates a music-roller, upon which the sheet is wound before being played, and also upon which said sheet is to be rewound after playing. The roller Dl is not intended to be removed from the case A; but the roller Dl is secured in bearings, which permit it to be readily removed with the music from the case when desirable for the purpose of changing the music. Then placed in the instrument the music-sheet is wound upon the music-roller D2, and the end of suid sheet is drawn over the rest G7 and secured in or to the take-up roller D'. The travel of themusicsheet is produced by imparting a positive rotation to the take-up roller D', and this may be effected as follows:

Edesignatesadriving-shaftextendingacross theinstrumentparallel with the key-board,and having acrank, d, at each end, one only being here shown. Ihe treadle C5 is connected with the crank d by a connecting-rod or pitman, E6, and to the crank at the opposite end of the shaft is connected a second rod or pitnian imparting motion from a second treadle,

the two cranks being set at right angles to each other to effect the uniform operation ot' the shaft. l

Upon the shaft E is a pulley, d', and upon the take-up roller d is a pulley or flange, d2; and d3 designates an intermediate frictionwheel, whereby motion is imparted from the driving-shaft to said take-u p roller. As shown in dotted outline in Fig.1,the intermediate wheel, d3, is pivoted in a bearing-block, E', pivoted at dt, and having a spring bearing upon the upper surface for pressing the wheel d. tightly between the wheels d d2. Vhen it is desired to disconnect the take-up rollerD from the driving-shaft E and stop the feed of the in usic-sheet, all that is necessary is to raise the bearing-block E sufficiently to lit't the wheel d.3 ont of contact with the wheels d d2.

The driving-shaft E has upon it a liy-wheel, E2, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) for steadying its motion, and in order to enable the music-sheet to be rewound quickly upon the music-roller D2 I provide said roller with a small pulley, d, which, when the roller is moved slightly, is in position to bear tightly' upon the periphery of the ily-wheel E2, so that the y-wheel will through it effect the rapid rotation ot' said roller.

It is desirable that the take-up roller D and themusic-rollerD2 be simultaneouslyconnected with and disconnected from the driving-shaft E, and this is effected by a rod or bar, d, arranged parallel with the shaft and pivoted at each end, so that it is adapted to be oscillated slightly in either direction. At one end ofthe rod or bar d@ is an arm (shown in dotted outline in Fig. l) projecting from one side thereof, and connected by a rod (shown in dotted outline) with the l'ree end ofthe bearing-block E.

E3 designates a stop-draw, which has upon its inner end an incline, dT, adapted to bear upon the arm ot' the rod or bar d'3, and when said stop-draw is pushed inward to raise the bearingblock E and stop the feed ofthe music-sheet.

The end ot' the music-roller D2 upon which is the pulley d5 is mounted in a hearing-block, E4, (see Fie'. 3,) which is pivoted at d, and has at its end an incline bearing upon an arm, dg, projecting from the rod or bar d6 upon the opposite side to that previously described. hen the stop-draw E3 is moved inward to aise the bearing-block E the rod or bar d6 is oscillated and the arm d moved down, releasing the block E4 and permitting it to be moved upward by a spring, di, to cause the pulley d5 to press tightly enough upon the fly-wheel E2 to receive motion therefrom. The mechanism for producing the travel of the music-sheet forms no part of my invention.

In order to enable the driving-shaft to be started readily in whatever position it may stop, I employ a starting device composed of a ratchet-wheel, d, upon the shat't E and a -pawl, 112, which is pivoted to a stopdraw, E5,

whereby said pawl may be made to engage IOO IIO

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with the ratchet-wheel when the stop-draw is pulled outward, and thereby move the shaft forward, as shown clearly in Fig. 3.

I have here represented three sets ot' soundproducing devices-namely, a piano-forte action, a reed-action, and a pipe-action; but two or any desirable number of sets lnore than two may be combined.

I will now proceed to describe the three sets of sound-producing devices in the order above named.

The piano-forte action (best shown in Figs. -1 and 3) is but little different from a common action.

F designates the frame, arranged in an openf ing in the back ofthe caseA,and eclesignates the strings thereof. The action-frame F is properly secured in the case ot' theinstrument; and c designates the ham mers. e2 designates the jacks. c3 designates the hammer rest-rail. c4 designates the dampers; and e5 designates the rods, pins, or bars which hear upon the top ot' the manual keys B and transmit motion from said keys to thejacks c2. The hammer rest-rail (see Fig. 3) is connected byalink, 6G, with one end ot a lever, F2, which is i'ulcrumed at c7; and e8 designates a stop-draw connected with the other end of said lever. By drawing out the stop-draw e8 the lever F2 is vibrated, and the hammer rest-rail, with all the hammers, is moved so as to carry all the hammers beyond or out of reach of all the jacks, and thus I am enabled to render the piano-forte action inoperative while either the reed-action or the pipe-action, or both, are being operated.

So far as explained my pianoforte action is of a common kind, and it possesses only one novel feature-namely, that the bass-hammers maybe moved up toward the strings independently of and apart from the other hammers to produce a subdued bass. This I et'- fect by providing an auxiliary rest-raihf, (see Fig. 2,) for the bass-hammers, which is tixed in one end of a lever, f', (see Fig. 3,) pivoted at f2 to the frame F of the action, and having a pin,f3, projecting outward from its side.

Fadesignates a lever, pivotedatj'4and bearing upon said pin f3, and by means ot' a stopdraw, f5, the lever F3 may be drawn forwaid, the auxiliary rail fmoved back, and the tone of the bass subdued by moving the bass-hammers so as to shorten their throw or stroke.

Turning now to the reed-action shown in Fig. 1, and more clearly in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7, G designates areed-board arranged belowthe manual keys B, and having two series of reedcells, severally containing reeds g, the speaking of which is controlled by pallet-valves g', arranged in an exhaust chest or chamber, G', below said reed-board, and kept closed by the usual pallet-valve springs, g2. The exhaust chest or chamber G communicates, by means of an air-trunk, (here shown, for convenience, as consisting of flexible tubes G2,) with a receiver, G3, which is exhausted ot' air by means ot' a bellows, G4, operated through the rod G5 from the movement of the treadle O5. Thus is the air exhausted from the chest or chamber G. The keys B act upon the pallet-valves g to depress them through tracker-pins g3 in a common way, the said tracker-pins each being` composed of two sections or pieces, one resting upon the other.

In order to prevent the speaking of the reeds g when desirable, I employ stops g4, hinged at each side of the reed-hoard G and covering the reed-cells, so as to prevent the passage ot' air through them, and outside these stops lare hinged swell-covers g5, which may be operated when desired to augment the volume of tone. The stops g4, as shown clearly in Fig. et, are opened by means of stopdraws GG, which have upon them inelines g, which, by moving said stop-draws outward, act upon the projecting ends ofthe stops g4 to open the latter. The swell-covers g5 are hinged at (/7 by exible hinges to the reed-board G or pieces attached thereto, and are pressed down to hold them closed by springs g. At one end (see Figs. 4 and 5) the swell-covers g5 have arms, which project toward each other andare united by a pin, g1, fittingin an elongated hole in one arm. The swell-covers g5 may be both opened or :raised by means of one stop-draw, G7, having upon it an incline, gu, which, as it is moved outward, engages with a pin or projection, gw, on one swell-cover, and, tilting said cover upon its hinge, depresses the connected ends ofthe arms gf), and thereby opens or raises the opposite swell-cover.

When itis desired to play mechanically either the piano-forte action or the pipe-action alone, or to operate them together and without the reed-action, it is very desirable that the pneumatic motors U be relieved from the pressure of the palletvalve springs g2, so as to enable-them to exert a more powerful force upon the keys B, which force is by them transmitted to the hammers or the valves ofthe pipe-action. This result I accomplish by adjusting the trackerpins out of the way ot' the keys by means of a rock-shaft, h, (see Fig. 1,) which may be oscillated by means of a stopdra\v, h', and has a number of lingers or arms, h2, tor bearing upon the tracker-pins g3 and depressing them, so that they cannot transmit the force of the pallet-valve springs g2 to the keys and increase the resistance offered to the pneumatic motors. Ot' course such depression of the tracker-pins will open all the pallet-valves g', and hold them open; but it' the stops g1 be closed down over the mouths of the reed-cells no air can pass them, and hence the reeds will not speak.

I will now describe the construction and arrangement ofthe hollow sounding-board H, which in this example of my invention is arranged in proximityY to the reeds g and immediately below them, it forming in fact the lower side or bottom ot' the exhaust chest or chamber G. The construction of said soundingboard is clearly shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7,

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-free communication between the exhaust chest or chamber G and the interior ot' said sounding-board, and upon the air being exhausted from said chest or chamber G a reduction of pressure is eti'ected in the sounding-board. Upon such reduction ot' pressure within the sounding-board the atmosphere exerts apressure upon the outer side ot' the board t and tends to bulge such board inward or upward. The .atmospheric pressure is transmitted4 through the sounding-post t?, and subjects the board t" to tension, whereby the tone ot' the reeds is greatly improved and partaltes more or less ofthe tone of the violin or violoncello.

Though I have here only illustrated the sounding-board I-I in connection with reeds, it may be adapted for' use in connection with other sound-producing devices.

Turning now to the pipe-action,Idesignates a pressure wind-chest, which is supplied with air by means of bellows I', operated by a rod, I2, which receives motion from the treadle U5, as clearly shown in Fig. l. The pipes I3 are iixed in the wind-chest I, and the passage of air through them is controlled by valves j, which are opened by the keysB acting through push-pins j and leversjz, connected at one end with said valves j. As the valves j are here shown as opening` downward,it is necessary that the levers j? be employed; but I prefer to arrange the wind-chest I so that the valves j shall open upward, and then the push-pinsj can act directly upon them without the intervention of any additional mechanism.

In order to render the pipe-action inoperative, I may arrange an outwardly-opening valve, Zt', (shown in the detail view, Fig. l2, which represents a longitudinal section through a portion of the wind-chest I,) adapted to close an opening, 7c', in said wind-chest. desired to render the pipe-action inoperative the valve la may be opened by a stop-draw or other mechanism, and then all air delivered by the bellows` I into the wind-chest I will pass out through the opening la', and will not be compressed in the chest I, and hence will not cause the pipes to operate.

In lieu of employing a separate bellows for the pipe-action, I might, and preferably shall, add a bellows-board to the top of the bellows G4, and then the air exhausted from the chest or chamber G will be compressed and delivered directly by a suitable air-trunk to the wind-chest I.

I will now describe the octave-couplers which I employ.

In order to increase the volume of tone ot the instrument, I provide for coupling a sound- When it isV producing device in one octave with a soundproducing device of corresponding note in another octave, so that when a single perforation in the music-sheet D comes opposite a duct c in the rest G7 said duct will be coupled or placed :in communication with the corresponding duct in the next octave, and two pneumatic motors will be caused to operate, and two hammers, two pipes, or two reeds will be operated, or all six sound-producing devices will be operated. As here represented, these couplers consist of two cheek pieces, J J', adapted to be adjusted longitudinally in rabbets upon opposite sides ofthe rest C7. They are shown as connected together by a bridge, Z, and may be adjusted by a stop-draw, Z, connected with the cheek-piece J by means ot' a bell-crank lever, Z2, and link or rod Z3.

It will be observed that in Fig. 9 I have designated the ducts c ot' two octaves by the letters ot' the notes of the sound-producing devices to which said ducts correspond, and it will there be seen that alternate ducts c ot' the two octaves have ports extending to the lcft side of the rest, to be controlled by one cheekpiece, J, while the intermediate ducts c have ports extending to the right side of the rest, to be controlled by the other cheekpiece, J. rIhe lettering of these ducts has no relation to the lettering ofthe other parts 0f the instrument.

In the faces of thecheek-picces J J are ports, which are each an octave in length, and which range vertically with the ducts c and ports in the rest, which are designated by letters indicatin g corresponding notes. 9, the octaves are not coupled; but it' the two cheek-pieces J J be adjusted longitudinally it will be seen that the port A in the cheek-piece J will connect or place in communication the two duets c, which are indicated by corresponding notesA A in the rest O7. The port Gitin the cheek-piece J in a like manner connects the two ducts c indicated by corresponding notes Gji in the rest G7.

From this description it willv be clearly understood that when the cheek-pieces J J are adjusted to couple two octaves all the ducts c in one octave will be coupled with corresponding ducts in the other octave, and hence that it' a perforation in the music sheet, card, or tablet comes opposite any ofthe ducts c in one octave the corresponding sound-producing devices in both octaves will be sounded.

By my invention I produce a musical instrument of great scope and power, and one which can be operated mechanically or manually with equal convenience, and may in either case take the place of a number ot' separate instruments.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a musical instrument, the combination of sound-producing devices, a rest provided with ducts for the passage of air to operate said sound-producing devices and with ports extending from said ducts tothe side of the rest, a traveling music-sheet for controlling the As shown in Fig.`

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passage of air through said ducts, and a cheekpiece adj ustably secured to the side ofsaid rest, and constructed with ports ranging with the ports in said rest, whereby the sound-producing devices of one octave may be coupled with sound -producing devices of corresponding notes in another octave, substantially as specilied.

2. In a musical instrument, the combination of sound-producing devices, a rest provided with ducts for the passage of air to operate said sound-producing devices and with ports leading from said ducts alternately to opposite sides of the rest, a traveling music-sheet controlling the passage of air through said ducts,

and cheek-pieces adjustably secured to opposite sides of said rest, and constructed with ports ranging with the ports in said rest, one of said cheek-pieces serving to couple alternate sound-producing devices and the other the intermediate sound-producing devices in one octave with devices ot corresponding notes in another octave, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the rest U, of a cheek-piece adjustably secured upon the side thereof, and a link, i3, lever L2, and rod or stopdraw l for adjusting the position of said cheek piece, substantially as specied.

4. The combination, with the rest (j, ot' cheek-pieces J J', a bridge, l, connecting said cheek-pieces, and a link, Z3, lever Z2, and rod or stop-draw Z, connected with one ot' said cheekpieces, substantially as specilied.

5. In a Wind musical instrument, the combination ofa set of sound-producing devices, an exhaust chest or chamber with which they communicate, a hollow sound-board, also communicating with said chest or chamber, and means for exhausting air from said chest or chamber and also from said sound-board, for applying tension to said sound-board, substantially as specified.

6. rlhe combination ot' the reeds g, the valves gf, the exhaust chest or chamber G', the soundboard composed of the boards fi i', the latter of which is provided with openings, and the posts 2, andthe bellows G4, for exhausting air from said chest or chamber to cause the outer board, f, to be bulged inward byatmospheric pressure, and tension to be applied to the board t" through the posts t2, substantially as specified.

O. H. NEEDHAM.

Witnesses T. J. KEANE, FREDK. HAYNES. 

